Jerry Lee
11-24-2009, 03:43 PM
From the dusty box of racing past comes this video of R.M.M.R.A. Midget driver Tom Eatwell. Tom, his brother Andy, and father John have a long history with little open wheel race cars around the Colorado area.
Tom talked about his time at Lakeside Speedway in these 1994 clips.
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JL: "Who got you into racing?"
TE: "My Dad was the one who got us all started into racing. We started racing Quarter Midgets. We used to go to Lakeside and Englewood Speedway. My Dad told me stories of when he used to sneak into Lakeside and watch the Midgets run. Then we started going to the weekly shows and driving the big cars ourself."
JL: "Do you remember the first time you raced out at Lakeside?"
TE: "The very first night I ever raced at Lakeside, we had this big long lecture that they had very little insurance, that we were supposed to keep everything at a nice even pace and not tear anything up, and who was the first to flip but my brother! He dumps it right in front of me in the main event!"
JL: "What are some other races there that stand out to you?"
TE: "Well, I won the last Midget race ever ran there. I started in the back and ran my way to second, it was tough, and I didn't think I'd ever catch Randy Roberts. As luck would have it, I did and won the race! At the time it didn't mean that much, but when they closed Lakeside, now I look back and that race is pretty special. It was a nice win for me, my Dad, for everybody. I hope it goes down in the history books somewhere. I want it in writing. (laughs)"
JL: "Who were some of your favorite drivers out there?"
TE: "My favorite Midget driver to watch around Lakeside was Mike Gregg by far. He was the master of the place, he was awesome. Everything I learned about racing that place, I learned from Mike. When he was on the race track we would just go up and watch him then try to copy what he was doing. If we beat him it was great! But, my favorite driver to ever go around Lakeside Speedway was Rick Carelli. He was awesome. He could run in the back of the pack in a Super Modified, lap everyone in the field, and never touch a wheel. He was the best!"
JL: "Good ol' Ricky! The crowd was either booing him or cheering him on."
TE: "I know people didn't like him. (laughs) He was great though. (laughs) You've got to love the man to hate him."
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Thanks again to Mitch G. for help! :bow:
Tom talked about his time at Lakeside Speedway in these 1994 clips.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
JL: "Who got you into racing?"
TE: "My Dad was the one who got us all started into racing. We started racing Quarter Midgets. We used to go to Lakeside and Englewood Speedway. My Dad told me stories of when he used to sneak into Lakeside and watch the Midgets run. Then we started going to the weekly shows and driving the big cars ourself."
JL: "Do you remember the first time you raced out at Lakeside?"
TE: "The very first night I ever raced at Lakeside, we had this big long lecture that they had very little insurance, that we were supposed to keep everything at a nice even pace and not tear anything up, and who was the first to flip but my brother! He dumps it right in front of me in the main event!"
JL: "What are some other races there that stand out to you?"
TE: "Well, I won the last Midget race ever ran there. I started in the back and ran my way to second, it was tough, and I didn't think I'd ever catch Randy Roberts. As luck would have it, I did and won the race! At the time it didn't mean that much, but when they closed Lakeside, now I look back and that race is pretty special. It was a nice win for me, my Dad, for everybody. I hope it goes down in the history books somewhere. I want it in writing. (laughs)"
JL: "Who were some of your favorite drivers out there?"
TE: "My favorite Midget driver to watch around Lakeside was Mike Gregg by far. He was the master of the place, he was awesome. Everything I learned about racing that place, I learned from Mike. When he was on the race track we would just go up and watch him then try to copy what he was doing. If we beat him it was great! But, my favorite driver to ever go around Lakeside Speedway was Rick Carelli. He was awesome. He could run in the back of the pack in a Super Modified, lap everyone in the field, and never touch a wheel. He was the best!"
JL: "Good ol' Ricky! The crowd was either booing him or cheering him on."
TE: "I know people didn't like him. (laughs) He was great though. (laughs) You've got to love the man to hate him."
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Thanks again to Mitch G. for help! :bow: